Rick Warren Disavows Support for Prop. 8

This article (see full text here) confirms my worse fears about Rick Warren, who has shown a troubling tendency to fall into the false trap of thinking that “compromise” is “compassion”. Worse still, he then publicly lied about prior comments he made on the issue of “gay marriage”.

The great thing about America is we have the right to be wrong. But that doesn’t mean we must have state-sanctioned sin. I minister a lot to people dealing with homosexuality, and showing grace to those in bondage to homosexuality does not mean compromising the truth. Grace and truth are not either/or, but yes/and. Grace without truth is sloppy agape that leaves us in bondage, while truth without grace is death. But when we reach out with both, there is life.

This is Exhibit A on what happens when our “leaders” fear man more than God. God help us all if we allow ourselves to be reduced to this type of of “leadership” in the Church today.

It also shows the damage done when a man who, because of notoriety gained in his calling as a pastor, then thinks he’s qualified to also provide leadership on national civic issues. Most pastors temperamentally are ill equipped to function in the prophetic or kingly realm. When they wade out beyond their gifting in the priestly realm, they quickly start drowning. It would be best for all concerned if they simply kept quiet, rather than sound such uncertain trumpet calls, and leave civic leadership to others who are better gifted for the rough and tumble of the pubic square. — Jim

California mega-church pastor and author of The Purpose Driven Life Rick Warren says he apologized to his homosexual friends for making comments in support of California’s Proposition 8, and now claims he “never once even gave an endorsement” of the marriage amendment.

Monday night on CNN’s Larry King Live, Pastor Rick Warren apologized for his support of Prop. 8, California’s voter-approved marriage protection amendment, saying he has “never been and never will be” an “anti-gay or anti-gay marriage activist.”

“During the whole Proposition 8 thing, I never once went to a meeting, never once issued a statement, never — never once even gave an endorsement in the two years Prop. 8 was going,” Warren told the CNN audience on Monday. “The week before the — the vote, somebody in my church said, ‘Pastor Rick, what — what do you think about this?’ And I sent a note to my own members that said, I actually believe that marriage is — really should be defined, that that definition should be — say between a man and a woman.”

However, just two weeks before the November 4 Prop. 8 vote, Pastor Warren issued a clear endorsement of the marriage amendment while speaking to church members. “We support Proposition 8 — and if you believe what the Bible says about marriage, you need to support Proposition 8,” he said.

The following is a complete transcript of Warren’s comments just weeks before the Prop. 8 election:

“The election’s coming just in a couple of weeks, and I hope you’re praying about your vote. One of the propositions, of course, that I want to mention is Proposition 8, which is the proposition that had to be instituted because the courts threw out the will of the people. And a court of four guys actually voted to change a definition of marriage that has been going for 5,000 years.

“Now let me say this really clearly: we support Proposition 8 — and if you believe what the Bible says about marriage, you need to support Proposition 8. I never support a candidate, but on moral issues I come out very clear.

“This is one thing, friends, that all politicians tend to agree on. Both Barack Obama and John McCain, I flat-out asked both of them: what is your definition of marriage? And they both said the same thing — it is the traditional, historic, universal definition of marriage: one man and one woman, for life. And every culture for 5,000 years, and every religion for 5,000 years, has said the definition of marriage is between one man and a woman.

“Now here’s an interesting thing. There are about two percent of Americans [who] are homosexual or gay/lesbian people. We should not let two percent of the population determine to change a definition of marriage that has been supported by every single culture and every single religion for 5,000 years.

“This is not even just a Christian issue — it’s a humanitarian and human issue that God created marriage for the purpose of family, love, and procreation.

“So I urge you to support Proposition 8, and pass that word on. I’m going to be sending out a note to pastors on what I believe about this. But everybody knows what I believe about it. They heard me at the Civil Forum when I asked both Obama and McCain on their views.”

During his CNN interview on Monday, Warren expressed regret for backing Prop. 8. “There were a number of things that were put out. I wrote to all my gay friends — the leaders that I knew — and actually apologized to them. That never got out,” he admitted.

Additionally, Pastor Warren said he did not want to comment on or criticize the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision last week to legalize same-sex “marriage” because it was “not his agenda.”

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2 responses

I can understand on one hand not wanting to join a “crusade” or to be labeled as an “anti-gay activist.” On the other hand, to deny saying what one clearly did say is disingenuous at best, and does seem to show a willingness to bow (or at least genuflect) to the current idol of political correctness on gay rights.

I hesitate to criticize Rick Warren since he has accomplished so much for Christ’s Kingdom and is under pressures that I can’t even imagine. However, if this report is right he blew it in this interview.

Is it possible that something that scripture refers to as an abomination,
such as homosexuality, does not present a Christian with any grey areas in which to hide? Sitting on the fence and hoping to continue to be lauded
and applauded by both sides is so un-Christ like that it is amazing that the fence sitter is not immediately disavowed by genuine believers. We must be in the age of apostacy. We sure are not living in the day of that great
man (Jesus’ desciption)- John the Baptist, who started to lose his head when he told Herod he was sexually immoral. Shame on us for following someone so luke warm, and hypocritical as Rick Warren. Elijah was impressed by the still small voice- but we have to have a big voice, with a big church, in a big Hawaaiin cahoona shirt.
Precious little baby- in a manger- how insignifigant
We just can’t hear God.

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Jim and Marianne Wright

Jim Wright is a church sower, public but unassuming, thinker, mentor, teacher, local church elder, motivated by redemption, foe of tyrants, friend of the dispossessed, retired attorney, entrepreneur, private pilot, and so-so bass fisherman.

Marianne is a second grade teacher in a Title 1 public school, private but strong, heart, skilled counselor, knows deep intimacy with God, a comfort to others in the Lord, wise, motivated by mercy but has strong resolve, gardener, and a bridge to healing for many.

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